Review of SARAGOSA PRIME by Kenneth E. Ingle

BooksForABuck.com, October 2008

Settled several generations before, Saragosa Prime has grown from a mining outpost to a populated planet. Time, Winner White decides, for democracy. Since Winner holds a controlling interest in the company that owns Saragosa Prime, his decision would seem to carry a lot of weight. But among the conglomerates that rule space, Winner's is one of the smallest, and none of the others care whether democracy takes hold--or even whether Winner is allowed to hold onto his company.

Zed Bartok's invasion is fueled partly by his greed, partly by his fear that Saragosa Prime's scientists may have reached a breakthrough, making the planet's hostile oceans a potential source for low-cost protein, and by his hatred for Winner. With the large conglomerates either neutral or passively supporting Bartok, it's Bartok's chance to step into the ruling elite. Against the huge space fleet and powerful mercenary army he's assembled, surely Winner can do nothing.

Winner may be trapped on an occupied planet, on the run from thousands of enemy soldiers, and countless light years from any of his company's assets, but Winner is a fighter--and he intends to defeat Bartok and complete the process of bringing democracy to Saragosa Prime. If he has to break some heads to do it, he'll pay that price.

Author Kenneth E. Ingle combines space action with a convincing view of a not-too-distant future where the United Nations has failed, where governments have faded, where corporate interests reign supreme, and where power is the ultimate decider of what's right or wrong. Winner, with his combination of single-mindedness and awareness of the costs of warfare makes for a surprisingly complex character and sexy Lieutenant Melissa Graves provides comic relief. Fans of David Weber-style space action will definitely want to check out SARAGOSA PRIME.

See more BooksForABuck.com reviews of novels by Kenneth E. Ingle.

Approximately 95,000 words.

Four Stars

Reviewed 9/11/08

SARAGOSA PRIME is no longer in print.

Too generous? Too stingy. Or did I miss the whole point? Send your comments to publisher@booksforabuck.com. I'll publish the best letters I get so let me know if I can use your name.